High-tech melon farming on white sand dunes

This year, 28-year-old Tran Dinh Quynh from Dan Dien Commune, Hue City, grew up in a rural area surrounded by white sand, where many local families continue to face economic hardship. Motivated by a desire to create sustainable livelihoods in his hometown, he has long aspired to develop a high-value agricultural model that generates stable incomes.

After graduating from a construction college, Quynh worked as a construction contractor on local projects, earning a steady income. A turning point came in early 2023 during a trip to southern Viet Nam, where he visited several greenhouse melon farms. Inspired by these innovative cultivation models, he decided to embark on a completely new path in agriculture.

"I have always dreamed of starting my own business. Seeing that my hometown has vast areas of abandoned white sandy land, combined with its hot climate, I believed that growing melons would be the most suitable option," Quynh said.

Quynh began studying melon cultivation techniques and actively joined farming communities to gain practical knowledge. Through connections with the local Youth Union, he received financial support from the former Thua Thien Hue Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Hue City Department of Agriculture and Environment) to construct greenhouse facilities. He also benefited from the Forestry Modernization and Coastal Resilience (FMCR) Project in Hue, which supported the development of his melon farming model.

By early 2024, Quynh had completed a high-tech melon production system covering more than 2 hectares, operating two farms under the brand Quynh Huong Farm.

The Ichiba melon variety cultivated by Quynh originates from Japan and is renowned for its premium quality. The entire production process follows Israeli agricultural technology, incorporating drip irrigation, automated fertigation, and digital equipment to measure fruit sweetness. In addition, all cultivation practices comply with VietGAP standards and incorporate organic production principles, helping minimize pests and diseases while ensuring safe, high-quality produce.

"Starting out was far from easy," Quynh recalled. "My biggest challenges were limited farming experience and finding reliable markets for the produce. In the early days, many of the melons remained unsold for too long, losing their crisp texture and becoming unmarketable. There were several times when I had to start over from scratch."

Today, Quynh's melon-farming model on the white-sand land has become well established. The farm produces two to three harvests each year, with each crop yielding around 8 tonnes of melons, or more than 4,000 fruits, generating an average profit of over VND 100 million per crop.

To maximize the use of his greenhouse facilities, Quynh also grows off-season chili peppers and cucumbers during the cool, rainy months, providing an additional source of income. His success has attracted many visitors from both within and outside the locality, who come to the farm to learn about his cultivation model.

"Melons are well suited to the local climate and deliver high yields, allowing me to earn a stable income while also creating employment opportunities for local residents who work on the farm," Quynh said. "I truly enjoy what I do. In the future, I plan to continue learning from advanced agricultural models, particularly modern melon cultivation techniques, secure more stable marketing channels to expand the farm, and explore cultivating additional crops. I'm also happy to share my experience with anyone who shares the same passion for growing melons."

According to Nguyen Ngoc Tien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dan Dien Commune, Quynh's melon farm has become one of the locality's most successful examples of agricultural entrepreneurship and the application of science and technology in farming. He noted that the model is well suited to the area's climatic and soil conditions and offers promising prospects for sustainable rural economic development.

"Developing agriculture through value chain linkages and the application of high technology is one of the commune's key policy priorities and has been incorporated into our annual socio-economic development plans," Mr. Tien said.

"The commune highly appreciates Quynh's farming model and hopes to see more young people and farmers confidently pursue entrepreneurship by developing effective high-tech agricultural models. Going forward, the local authorities will continue directing relevant agencies to support farmers through preferential loans, market access, and assistance with promoting and selling agricultural products via livestreaming on social media platforms," he added.

$ 1 = VND 26,460 - Source: Vietcombank.